Open lectures Faculty of Spatial Sciences
Are you looking to expand your knowledge of geography and urban planning? The Faculty of Spatial Sciences offers contract education, allowing you to take courses of your choice alongside our students, without having to be registered as a student. Registration is per course; the programme's admissions committee will assess your eligibility for the course based on your prior knowledge and training.
Please note: all of our courses are taught in English.
Available courses for open lectures
You can find the available courses in the Online Course Catalog. Click on the course name for more information and use the tabs to navigate.
When is a course taught?
The academic year structure is clearly displayed in the year planner. The course schedule can be found in the lecture timetable. Almost all courses are taught at the Zernike Campus.
Eligibility Indicator
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Bachelor's courses: Standard admission if you have a bachelor's or master's degree in geography, urban planning, or demography; otherwise, admission is at the discretion of the admissions committee, depending on your prior education and course requirements.
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Master's courses: Standard admission if you have a master's degree in geography, urban planning, or demography; otherwise, admission is at the discretion of the admissions committee, depending on your prior education and course requirements.
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Note: You can only take courses listed in the Open Colleges Online Course Catalog.
Costs
Academic year 2025-2026
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Bachelor courses 5 EC = €1125 / courses 10 EC = €2250 (€225 per EC)
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Master courses 5 EC = €1785 (€357 per EC)
Academic year 2026-2027
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Bachelor courses 5 EC = €1165 / courses 10 EC = €2330 (€233 per EC)
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Master courses 5 EC = €1850 (€370 per EC)
Registration
1. Fill out the authorization form:
2. Fill out the digital application form and upload:
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the authorization form
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a copy of ID (not applicable if you hold a RUG diploma)
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a copy of diploma (not needed if you hold a RUG diploma)
3. Upon receipt, your application will be submitted to the admissions committee of the programme where you wish to take a course. If your application is approved, you will be enrolled in the relevant course and you will receive a notification.
Deadlines
Academic year 2025-2026
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Semester 2b: Friday, March 27, 2026
Academic year 2026-2027
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Semester 1a: Friday, August 14, 2026
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Semester 1b: Friday, October 23, 2026
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Semester 2a: Friday, January 15, 2027
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Semester 2b: Friday, March 26, 2027
Unfortunately, registration after these deadlines is not possible.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations can be made up to one business day before the start of the course by sending an email to educationoffice.fss@rug.nl.
Cancellations within one business day before the start of the course entitle you to a refund of the course fee, excluding the €50 administration fee.
Questions
Via educationoffice.fss@rug.nl